


War Among the Willow Trees

by FightForToday



Category: Sengoku Basara
Genre: Date Masamune is Bad At Feelings, Eventual Romance, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 03:29:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21219824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FightForToday/pseuds/FightForToday
Summary: Shizuka Seiko was never meant to be more than she was. By luck she returns to the place that was a demise of a beginning, tied to a war lord who doesn’t want her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This roughly follows along the first season of Sengoku Basara

If we must die, let it not be like hogs  
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,  
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,  
Making their mock at our accursèd lot.  
If we must die, O let us nobly die,  
So that our precious blood may not be shed  
In vain; then even the monsters we defy  
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!

Claude McKay

Masamune stood before his mirror, one eye starring at the scarred remain of the other. Fingers curled, barely restraining themselves from flying fist first into the reflection. What a fool he had been. Self-impertinent, shamefully prideful- a young boy’s arrogance which brought nothing but failure. Granted, he was still all those things, but now he had earned them. The next battle his men fought would be won deftly. The whole damn country would hear his victory and know the name of the One-Eyed Dragon of Oshuu, Date Masamune.

“Boss Masamune,” Kojuro poked his head into the room, “the watch men have spotted incoming visitors.”

“If it’s those damned elders, I’m gonna-”

“You know they are meant to arrive any day.”

“I ain’t going to try to impress them, my answer isn’t changing.”

With a sigh, Kojuro said. “I would expect nothing less from you, my lord.”

The pair left the main house to the gates, but what they found was a scene far more intense. Date men stood weapons out, half encircling what appeared to be a small group of escorts and their mark. She stood ornamented, the maroon fabrics printed with gold flowers and layered heavily, but not even the fan could distract from her face; it would have been impeccable if not for the scar curved in a crescent shape along her upper left cheek.

She flickered her gaze to Masamune. “What an unfortunate string of events that I’m here again.”

The One-Eyed Dragon stood frozen.

“They said they’re from…” A guard began speaking only to be cut off by Masamune drawing one of his katana, “How the hell you are alive? Or better yet, what are you doing here?”

“Not a conversation I’m having outside.”

“You’re an idiot if you think I’d let you take one step in here after everything, Seiko.”

Seiko laughed. “You act like I want to be here. Now let me in, stupid man. You shouldn’t keep a lady waiting.”

“Last time I saw you, you were a hand maid.”

“Yes, well I’d love to tell you about my strange few years, Lord Date.” She snapped his formal name, “In private.”

“What kind of shit do you think you’re-”

Kojuro cut him off. “Lord Masamune, perhaps we should hear her out. She was once one of our people.”

“Yeah, once, as in she was dead the last time we saw her. You want to let a dead girl into the estate?” Masamune questioned, taking steps toward Seiko, only to be blocked by her guards.  
Masamune squinted past the four men surrounding Seiko. She might as well have been a real ghost. Her once tan skin had paled considerably, as if she hadn’t seen sunlight in years, and her eyes while still bright seemed different. Hair still jet black sat on her head pinned with gold. It was a striking difference from the girl he knew growing up.

He sheathed his weapon. “Fine.”

-  
.  
.  
-

Inside the room, Seiko seated herself across from Masamune.

“Can I offer you anything to drink, Lady Seiko?”

“Ah Koj, don’t call her that. She isn’t a lady.” Masamune rolled his eye.

Kojuro smacked the back of his Lord’s head. Seiko tried to hide her snicker, but still received a glare from Masamune.  
With a snap the fan folded. Seiko smiled a Kojuro. “Tea would be lovely, Kojuro.”

“So, you care to explain where you’ve been? Since you know, you aren’t dead?”

“Apologies, Lord Date. It isn’t as if I asked to survive the execution.”

Masamune glanced at Kojuro, whose jaw clenched as he prepared tea, and then brought his attention back to Seiko. How old had they all been when it happened? Maybe eight or so? He couldn’t even remember much of his father any more besides the cruelty he and his mother had endured. The day Seiko was sentenced to die, however, had been entirely Masamune’s fault. And he had pushed it far away from his memories until now.

\- . / . / . / -

_ “Seiko, whatcha doing?” Masamune strutted into the room, hands behind his head._

_The young girl shied away, turning her face opposite of him. She continued folding the fabrics from her basket._

_Masamune huffed, walking right up to her. “Hey, I’m talking to ya.” _

_“I am not supposed to speak with you.”_

_“Ah that’s crap, I’m saying you can. I haven’t seen you in like weeks.”_

_“Lord Date has forbid it.” Seiko’s voice grew softer._

_“The old man?” Masamune felt something stir inside him, “Seiko, what did he do?”_

_Seiko finally turned her head, revealing a fresh scar marring her face. Tears were welling. “I am just a servant and should not consort with you familiarly.”_

_“That bastard did this to you?!”_

_“It’s the crescent of your family. So I don’t forget my place.”_

_Masamune curled his hands into fists. His breathing came out slightly jagged. A sick fury built. He high tailed it out of the room, sprinting through the manor. Servants and generals alike had to step out of his way, most chuckling at what they thought was a child’s rambunctiousness. He was growing tired of his dad treating everyone this way. He was tired of being told what to do and who to be friends with._

_The doors to the war chamber were thrown open._

_Lord Date looked up, a steeled gaze pierced his son. “Masamune, what is the meaning of this?!”_

_His mouth opened and closed like a fish. “I…”_

_“Spit it out, boy.”_

_“Why did you hurt Seiko?”_

_“Seiko?” His father raised a brow. “Who is Seiko?”_

_Atsuru, the right-hand to his father, and his apprentice, Kojuro, sat uncomfortably watching the scene unfold._  
_ Kojuro cleared his throat. “I believe she is, uh, the young handmaid, my lord.”_

_Lord Date’s face contorted to a sneer. “The handmaid? She was not hurt, she was put in her place.”_

_“You cut her up!”_

_“For being insubordinate, she has no business fooling with you.”_

_“She’s my friend!”_

_“She is a servant,” Lord Date stood, “You are not to speak with her, are we clear?”_

_“But that’s not fa-”_

_Masamune hid a short gasp as his father appeared in front of him, grabbing his jaw. “That is an order. Are we clear?”_

_He nodded._

_\- . / . / . / -_

_Masamune couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned until the moonlight pouring in felt as bad as the sun in the morning. A thud and the sound of his mother pleading down the hall sent his heart into his throat. What more could she have done to upset his father? The foot steps grew closer and so did the voices._

_“Terumune, please, she is but a child.”_

_“A parasite, Yoshihime. She has made our son weak and as insubordinate as he is.”_

_“I beg of you, my husband, spare her.”_

_Another thunk and the sound of a soft cry. Masamune’s chest seized watching the shadow of his father dragging something behind him. The shadow of his mother stayed on the ground outside his room. He _ _slid the door open._

_“Mother?”_

_She looked up, a hand clutching her chest. He came to her side, gently touching her face._  
_“Oh my boy,” Her eyes watered, “there isn’t anything you can do, please don’t anger your father further.”_

_“What is he doing?” Masamune had a sinking feeling._

_“The girl, he’s taken her to be executed.”_

_“No…” He muttered, “No!”_

_His vision blurred behind tears. The sound of his mother felt far away. “Masamune! Stop!”_

_He was running hard and once his feet stepped outside into the grass he watched three horses race past from the stable. Masamune’s feet picked up again, making way to his own horse._

_Time seemed to slow. All Masamune could think of were the times he had snuck reading material to teach Seiko and how excited she was. How she would humor his antics and pause to watch him spar with Kojuro. How she’d sneak to the cook’s quarters to make extra desserts for him. She was his friend. The only person who gave a damn about him._  
_ Masamune kicked the horse again, begging it to go just a little faster, but it seemed to be just as slow. The fields behind the compound were often where unsavory events took place. He hoped that was where Seiko would be._

_And he was all too right. Just as he came over the edge of the hill, the crest of the sun was cutting through the sky. Masamune fought back a scream watching the body of Seiko collapse. She laid unmoving in the grass. His father and Atsuru turned away, walking back to their horses._

_The two trotted to where Masamune was. Terumune came up next to him, placing a hand on his head. His breath reeked of sake. “Your crush clearly would not dissipate unless she was removed. It is for the best, Masamune. She is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Women are a dime a dozen, my boy.”_

\- / . / . /

Masamune shook his head.

“How are you alive?” He asked point blank again.

“Lord Terumune had Atsuru execute me. He requested something painful as punishment for my behavior… but I think Atsuru felt guilty and when he cut my stomach, it wasn’t as deep as could have been. I don’t know, I remember the pain and then everything fading. I woke up in a cot in another’s territory.”

“Whose territory, Seiko?”

“A vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Shizuka clan.”

Kojuro warily handed Seiko her drink. She nodded in thanks.

“So explain why you’re here?”

“One of Lord Hideyoshi’s head advisors found me and his wife begged him to save me, so he did. They were coming to meet your father on business. They raised me as their own kin, and I tell you this because I trust you, and told everyone that I had been too sick as a younger child to be seen. I looked enough like them.”

“You’re spewing more crap and not answering me.”

“I would have thought you knew why I was here.” Seiko now looked a bit confused. “Are they not here yet?”

“Who?”

“Your clan elders? They requested a noble’s daughter hand in offer of talks of an alliance.”

Kojuro coughed, choking on air. The other two looked at him quizzically. He coughed again sheepishly. “Apologies, my lady. When the elders said they were bringing a prospective marriage proposal, I wasn’t aware they meant someone from-”

“Whoa! I told you to tell those geezers I ain’t about to get married!”

Seiko set the drink down. “Well if I had known they were sending me here I would have declined. I’ve heard the stories about you, not quite the sweet little boy anymore.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Masamune stood up. Seiko also stood, splaying the fan out again and coyly hiding her face. She raised a brow.

“Women talk, you know,” Seiko said, “and from what I’ve heard, you seem to have no trouble finding women to keep you company.”

“What’s the hell does that gotta do with anything?” Masamune didn’t bother to deny the comment, he enjoyed the finer things in life. Sometimes that included girls.

“Why should I want a husband who can’t keep it in his pants?”

Masamune’s head whipped around hearing Kojuro stifle another cough. His Right-eye seemed just as shocked as he was at her brash comment  
Seiko’s laughter was not hidden in the slightest to Masamune’s dismay. It was crude humor for any woman, even more so from one claiming to have been raised as a noble.

She stopped abruptly, dropping the fan upon feeling Date’s blade pressed against her neck. Seiko didn’t waver her gaze from Masamune’s, but he watched her breathing labor. Something about the action sent a jolt of familiarity down his spine. Kojuro, though he didn’t say a word, was eyeing his master carefully. Masamune noticed the look of discomfort on his face.

“Forgive me, Lord Date.” Seiko said.

The word rang in his head. He realized this was very much what his mother looked like when she feared his father but refused to show it. It was a face he hadn’t seen in some time. He didn’t like it.

“If you’re going to insult me, woman” He pulled the sword away to sheath it, “Then at least own it.”

With a nod, she had the smallest smile play on her lips again. “Of course. I’ll keep that in mind.”


	2. Chapter 2

“The elders’ letter has arrived, they are a few days behind schedule.” Kojuro noted, handing the paper to Masamune.

The One-Eyed Dragon gave it a glance and tossed it to the pile of other letters building up next to his seat. He leaned forward, fingers interlocked under his chin. Most men his age were already betrothed, if not married, but he had never given it much consideration. The thought of having some woman toting along seemed inconvenient. A weakness for an enemy to exploit. Perhaps after he conquered more land and felt secure in ownership of it, Masamune could consider a wife. Right now? He found the idea ludicrous.

While the elders had been threatening him with a marriage proposal for a year or so now, Masamune just ignored them. He figured if he protested enough they wouldn’t be able to do much. Hell, he wasn’t even in Oshuu long enough half the time for them to peg him down and have the conversation. Entirely planned on his part, but it seemed to have caught up with him.

And Seiko, Masamue almost let out a sigh. How in the _hell _the geezers managed to choose the one girl who had ties back to the Date clan was beyond him. Not that they could have known. She hardly looked the same and he doubted they ever bothered to learn the name of a random servant.

Kojuro spoke again. “Do you want to read the rest of it?”

“Not particularly.”

“You’re not curious of what their delay was?”

“Can’t ya just tell me?” Masamune glanced up.

“The Viper struck again.”

Masamune whipped his head up. “Son of a bitch.”

“Fifteen men were poisoned plus the three guards bringing them. It is only a miracle no one died.”

“Son. of. a. bitch.” Masamune repeated, throwing his head back in exasperation. “Guess it’s our turn to deal with him, heard some others had major causalities, but at this rate it seems like he ain’t working for anyone. Just destroying shit ‘cause he can.”

“It does appear that way.”

“Damn!” Masamune threw his hand through the pile of papers. “If those old idiots weren’t trying to come here they probably would’a been left alone.”

“They’re only doing this with the best interest of the clan.”

“If they had any faith in me, they wouldn’t be pushing for some successor.”

“Well it isn’t as if the child between you and Seiko would be able to do anything until-”

“Shut up, Kojuro.” Masamune snapped. “I ain’t marrying her.”

Kojuro raised his hands in defeat. “I was only speaking hypothetically, my lord.”

“We’re sparring.” Masamune stood up, brushing past his advisor. It wasn’t a request.

He was pissed. For a lot of reasons. If he didn’t do something with the pent-up anger, he knew he’d lash out at the wrong time again. The image of Seiko’s controlled trembling flashed again. His fingers curled into a fist. He didn’t mind informality, but disrespect was something else. Seiko, however, didn’t deserve his harsh response. Masamune could only imagine what the elders would say after they heard he tried to take her head off. 

-

.

-

Sweat dripped into Masamune’s eyes. The sun’s heat seemed almost unbearable, but as Kojuro rushed him, he didn’t give himself time to worry about discomfort. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed. Masamune did what he did best, react.

Every movement Kojuro made was caught in Masamune’s gaze. It was easier to do since he knew his opponent’s style. The slightest change in footing or muscle tension was almost immediately picked up on. It also made it harder because Kojuro knew Masamune just as well. 

“Nice try, Big Boss.” Kojuro laughed under his breath before dropping his weapon momentarily and sending a fist straight toward his master’s face. Masamune ducked and pushed off his feet to force his way behind Kojuro, then threw his leg out. It collided with Kojuro’s back and send him face first into the ground.

“What was that, Koj? Couldn’t hear you with dirt in your mouth.” Masamune also let out a laugh between regaining his breath.

He moved to offer Kojuro a hand up which was gladly accepted.

“Two hours is a long time to have sparred.” Kojuro noted, wiping his forehead.

“Yeah, well…” Masamune didn’t finish the sentence verbally, he simply shrugged.

“BIG BOSS!”

The pair turned their head at the man running into the training grounds.

“Yeah?”

His man was followed by four angry looking Toyotomi guards.

“Lady Seiko is missing!”

“What do you mean she’s missing?”

The lead personal guard Seiko arrived with stepped forward. “We were instructed to wait outside the room you gave her until she wanted to leave. After five hours I grew concerned and when we opened her door, she was gone. It is unlike her to just leave, I fear the worst.”

“Damn it.” Masamune pushed his hair back out of his eyes, sweat half way keeping it in place. “Any sign of struggle?”

“Well… no.”

“Nothing broken? Out of place?”

“No.”

Masamune rolled his eye. “Idiots. She may be just be looking around.”

He turned around and waved his hand in dismissal. She had to be hanging around somewhere. Masamune kept his smile hidden hearing Kojuro apologize for his lord’s behavior.

The One-Eyed Dragon slowly made his way to the pond at the back of the compound. He was still trying to breathe normally; his sparring took a lot out of him.

He heard the frogs and bugs singing well before he ever saw the water. It had been sometime since had visited the pond. It was nice on hot days to be around something so lush and sit under the willow. Masamune paused seeing Seiko sitting on the small dock. She had changed from the shimmering kimono into a plain yukata, and on top of that, she had pushed the fabric up around her to fully submerge her legs into the water.

“Don’t fall in.”

Seiko jumped, looking at him. “Lord Date.”

“Ah don’t call me that.” He rolled his eye, walking up to the edge of the water.

“What do you would you like me to call you, my lord?”

“You know I hate shitty titles like that.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be making a good impression on everyone if I started calling you your first name only.”

“And your stupid jokes were supposed to?”

“They’re still here,” Seiko smiled tapping her head, “I’ll keep them contained. I just… was caught off guard by you, I meant no offense.”

Masamune chuffed. “Yes, you did. I told ya to own up to it.”

“Fine,” She looked back to the water, “I did mean a little offense. I would prefer to not be married off to a man with loose morals like that. You preach loyalty and yet you expect any woman to give you that when you spend so much time in the red-light district?”

“First off, I sure as _hell_,” He emphasized his anger, “am not getting married. So you don’t gotta worry about that, honestly, I’m sorry they dragged you here because the second those geezers arrive I’ll make sure they send ya home. Secondly, I haven’t spent that much time there. You make it sound like my every free moment is out trying to get-”

Seiko pulled a face at him, stopping the rest of the sentence. “I really don’t want to know what you do with them in your free time, Masamune.”

He hadn’t heard her say his first name since before she had supposedly died. He came up behind her on the dock. “You got your people all in a tizzy. Why didn’t you tell them where you went?”

“I wanted to be alone. Being forced to come back here isn’t easy. I don’t know, I suppose it’s just a weird feeling. I’m still bound to the same place that my life was meant to end at.”

“Seiko…”

She looked over her shoulder with another small smile. “I don’t blame you, Masamune. I should have learned my place a long time ago. I went from having no voice to one that gets me in far more trouble now. Either way, consequences of my own actions. Truth be told, I think my parents were so quick to offer me up is because I sometimes speak out of place. They didn’t want to fool with me anymore.”

Masamune bit his tongue. Did she not know? It had been his immature outburst toward his father that sentenced her to death. Judging by her complacency at the events which transpired, it had to be that way. His heart sunk into his stomach. _She didn’t know_. She thought it was because she had been caught holding hands with him when they were running back to their rooms late one night. That was what had caused her scar. It wasn’t what caused his father to go over the edge.

“You say a lot shit, woman.” He settled on a reply, taking a seat next to her.

They watched the koi swim around Seiko’s feet. Some surfaced with gaping mouths expecting food and others after the small bugs on the surface. She leaned over to skim the water with her hand. It brushed against some of the scales of the fish.

Neither said it, but both were thinking about how sitting at this pond had been the catalyst to all the events that shaped their lives to this point. Masamune had wanted to show Seiko the stars and it got them both in trouble.

Seiko pursed her lips. “Can I be frank with you?”

“Already told ya that you could.”

“You smell awful.”

Masamune’s mouth went agape. Seiko gave a tense smile that clearly was holding back a laugh. “I’m… sorry,” the laugh came out, “I’m sure you have been training, but you do smell.”

“No wonder you aren’t married yet.” He said.

Seiko pulled her legs out of the pond, the fabric coming back over them. “How long until your people arrive?”

The atmosphere around them changed. Masamune didn’t understand why she suddenly seemed cold to him.

“Maybe two days? Probably three. I don’t know, they’re slow as hell as it is. Plus-” Masamune stopped himself.

“Plus?”

“Nothing for you to worry over.”

“Alright then. It’s getting late, I suppose I should head in.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have literally have had this story for years sitting around on my computer and decided that I might as well post it since it's mostly written. This is more just to say I did it and finished a fic lol. Also because I'm a hoe for OCs.


End file.
